<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A Hunt by phoenixburncold</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27706220">A Hunt</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixburncold/pseuds/phoenixburncold'>phoenixburncold</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Snippets of the Mystery Skulls Team [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mystery Skulls, Mystery Skulls Animated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>One Shot, Swearing, before events of Ghost, during a hunt, if you squint i guess lewvithur</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:33:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,371</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27706220</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixburncold/pseuds/phoenixburncold</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A Mystery Skulls Hunt</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Snippets of the Mystery Skulls Team [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026360</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Hunt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lewis comes to, feeling himself being dragged backward rather quickly. The world seems to be spinning and there is a definite sharp pain in his left temple. Something, more than likely blood, is dripping from that spot as well.</p><p>“Shit, shit, <i>shit</i>. Lew, Lew, <i>Lewis</i>, Lew!”</p><p>That’s Arthur, high pitched and panicked, directly behind his right ear, exclamations between huffs.</p><p>“Nhggh,” Lewis responds, reaching for his head. Yep, definitely blood, it’s red on his fingertips, he can see it with the flashlight Arthur is somehow still holding.</p><p>Arthur heaves a breath before he stops dragging Lewis, apparently far enough away. Lewis feels something solid keep him propped up and Arthur races around to crouch in front of and look at Lewis, flashlight partially shining on Lewis’s face.</p><p>The world is still spinning. Arthur’s concerned face is moving unnaturally around. “Where’s Vi?” Lewis asks, head wobbling.</p><p>Arthur glances behind his shoulder. “I think she’s still in the salt circle. It went straight for you.”</p><p>“Oh… good.”</p><p>Lewis blinks a few more times, trying to will the world still. His head pounds. <i>Why?</i> Oh yeah, the spectre of the warehouse appeared while he was looking for the equipment that was his anchor. Lewis had found a toolbox that looked suspicious. He’s pretty sure he saw a wrench fly out of it right before it flew into his head. <i>Ow.</i></p><p>“Did she see –?”</p><p>“The toolbox?” Arthur nods before flashing the light from side to side to check Lewis’s eyes as he keeps talking. “Yeah. I left a glowstick by it before I grabbed you. The spectre looked like it wanted to keep hitting you. I threw some iron beads at it and it dissipated. I’m sure it’ll be back – ”</p><p>A hammer slammed down next to Arthur’s foot. He flinches and pales even further. “Soon,” he finishes weakly.</p><p>The danger sharpens Lewis. He forces the world still, pulling himself into a crouch, one hand gently on Arthur and the other reaching for – <i>oh shit,</i> he didn’t have his iron pipe on him anymore, it was somewhere on the floor where he had found the toolbox. Arthur never kept one, he preferred beads for a distraction. Lewis pats his pockets, looking for his incense and lighter combo.</p><p>The spectre appears directly behind Arthur. He’s a tall creature now, a fanged skull, red flames, and what he wore when he was last alive shredded around him, adding to the flaming silhouette. He is a skeleton underneath, there is no sense of flesh under the shredded clothes. The man had been killed working the large shredder near the back of the warehouse, a loose screw had popped out of the socket, the third in a small area, dropping the platform and man into the working shredder. He had gone to management several times over unsafe work conditions but had gotten shut down every time, the last time being threatened with losing his job. Now he towers over Arthur, angry flames licking around the spectre’s body, the reason the warehouse shut down six months ago.</p><p>Lewis shoves Arthur to the side just as the spectre reaches out for him, and brings out his combo, separating the lighter from the incense and flicking the lighter on in a smooth motion. Lighting the incense, he moves in front of Arthur, eyes burning a moment from the smoke that swept into his eyes from the movement. The spectre glares at him through the now thick smoke. Lewis stands his ground, Arthur’s hand on Lewis’s shoulder, no doubt peering at the spectre from around Lewis. Then, suddenly the spectre jerks, whipping his head to the left. He shrieks, the fire that burns around him goes from red to orange, sparks thrown up from the body. Arthur’s hand shifts away from Lewis’s shoulder, no doubt going to his ears. Lewis throws up his empty hand to cover his own ear, incense still burning in his other hand. His head feels like it’s going to split apart. Finally, the spectre bursts into sparks and silence. Lewis pants slightly, behind him Arthur is heaving shaky breaths. Lewis shifts, giving Arthur a wobbly smile, returned by a weak grin from Arthur. Lewis’s hearing has a definite ringing to it, and he’s sure Arthur’s does too.</p><p>“You guys still alive over there?” shouts Vivi from somewhere far ahead.</p><p>“Yep!” Lewis replies cheerfully.</p><p>“Great! Get over here then!”</p><p>Smoke still rising from the incense, Lewis grabs Arthur’s hand gently with his empty one and looks into his eyes. “Where is she?” Lewis asks, unsure where Arthur dragged him.</p><p>Arthur takes a shuddering breath, gripping Lewis’s hand tightly before leading him in a zigzag manner around several dusty machines. After a bit, Lewis can see Vivi’s flashlight on the ground, pointing toward the toolbox. He squeezes Arthur’s hand in thanks. A few more steps and he can see the whole scene. Vivi is standing, beaming at them as they come into view. A lighter is still in her hand, ash at her feet. Salt is strewn over the toolbox. Mystery lets out a happy bark, bounding toward the men and walking with them back to Vivi. As Lewis gets closer, she winces. “You okay?” she asks, eyes filled with concern, and bouncing between Arthur and himself.</p><p>Lewis nods gingerly.</p><p>“All good,” Arthur says. “His pupils are responding okay and the cut is super light, it’s just bleeding like crazy cuz of where it is. Mostly it’s the massive ringing in our ears.”</p><p>“Oh geez. It was right on top of you wasn’t it?”</p><p>“Of course,” Arthur replies salty. “It always is.”</p><p>Without releasing Arthur, Lewis wraps an arm around Vivi. Her arms squeeze him gently before he lets both of them go. “So, what was it?” he asks her.</p><p>Vivi grins widely. “A picture of him and his girlfriend, who happened to be the manager’s daughter. I don't think he was put in charge of the shredder on accident. I also salted the toolbox just in case it was a secondary one.”</p><p>“Great, can we leave now?” Arthur asks, anxiously looking at Lewis. “I want to bind that before you faint.”</p><p>Lewis gently squeezes Arthur’s shoulder as Vivi bends down to retrieve her flashlight and the glowstick beside the toolbox. She takes a bottle of water from her pack and douses the incense in Lewis’s hand, gently taking it from him as he continues to stand there, still dazed. Arthur walks a little bit away, followed by Mystery, flashlight pointed on the ground as he moves back past some equipment and comes back with Lewis’s pipe. Lewis takes it. </p><p>“Thanks Artie.” </p><p>Vivi gathers the last of their gear and Arthur stays close to Lewis as they walk out. Mystery bounds among them, tail high.</p><p>Once they get to the Van, Arthur dives into the back and retrieves the medkit from its secure spot under the seats. Cracking it open, he grabs the alcohol wipes and bandages, leaving space in the back for Lewis. He sits heavily beside Arthur, blinking slowly. Vivi rummages around them, putting the things back in their places before climbing out of the back with a water bottle and Mystery’s bowl. </p><p>Arthur peels the wipes open and starts cleaning the cut on Lewis’s head. Used to the sting, Lewis sits still as Arthur pats the wipes gently against the open wound, bandages it, wrapping the cloth around his head a few times with practiced ease, and using another two wipes to get the blood off Lewis’s face.</p><p>“Done,” Arthur declares, leaning back.</p><p>Lewis looks the other man in the eyes. “Thank you, Arthur. You saved me.”</p><p>Arthur flaps a hand at him. “It’s just a little cut.”</p><p>Lewis reaches over and grabs Arthur’s wrist gently. “I mean it,” Lewis says. “I would have been ghost food if you hadn’t pulled me out of there.” </p><p>He watches Arthur blush slightly, unable to meet his gaze as he mumbles, “It’s nothing.”
</p><p>Two water bottles appear before them. “Drink up,” demands Vivi. “Gotta stay hydrated. Especially after something like that.”</p><p>It is hot. Even at night, the summer heat is unrelenting. Lewis releases Arthur and they both take the offered waters, cracking them open and gulping them down.</p><p>Mission accomplished.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>